U.S. patent application number 12/111508 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-05 for method and apparatus for recording broadcast data and providing contents.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Hue-yin KIM, Keum-yong OH.
Application Number | 20090064253 12/111508 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40138391 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090064253 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
OH; Keum-yong ; et
al. |
March 5, 2009 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECORDING BROADCAST DATA AND PROVIDING
CONTENTS
Abstract
A method and apparatus for recording broadcast data and
providing content, in which the content is recorded based on a time
at which the content is actually transmitted using interaction
between a server and a host device is provided. The method includes
receiving a request for recording a particular program, registering
program information of the requested program in a content server,
and performing recording of the program upon detection of stream
output notification information for the registered program from the
content server.
Inventors: |
OH; Keum-yong; (Yongin-si,
KR) ; KIM; Hue-yin; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
40138391 |
Appl. No.: |
12/111508 |
Filed: |
April 29, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
725/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/6582 20130101;
H04N 21/2625 20130101; H04N 21/26283 20130101; H04N 21/4334
20130101; H04N 21/235 20130101; H04N 21/435 20130101; H04N 21/47202
20130101; H04N 21/278 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/115 |
International
Class: |
H04N 7/173 20060101
H04N007/173 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 3, 2007 |
KR |
10-2007-0089079 |
Claims
1. A method of recording broadcast data, the method comprising:
receiving a request for recording a program; registering program
information of the program in a content server; and recording the
program upon detection of stream output notification information of
the program from the content server.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the request
comprises: receiving a program service list and an application of a
recording device from the content server; and receiving the request
for the recording of the program based on the program service list
and the application of the recording device.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the program service list is at
least one of a program list that has already been received using
service information and a program list received through 2-way
communication.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the program information of the
program is transmitted to the content server after the program
information is stored in a register module.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein current state information of a
host device is generated and is transmitted to the content server
before the recording of the program.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein a stream output notification
message is displayed on a screen upon detection of the stream
output notification information received from the content
server.
7. A method of providing content by a server, the method
comprising: receiving a request for recording a program from a host
device; registering program information of the program and
identification (ID) information of the host device; and
transmitting the program and stream output notification information
for the program to the host device if it is confirmed that the
program is secured, irrespective of a recording time that is set in
the host device.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the
program information through one of service information (SI) and
2-way communication.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising registering trigger
information for transmitting the program information.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission of the program
and the stream output notification information comprises: searching
for the program if the program information is registered and
determining if the program is secured; and if it is determined that
the program is secured, checking a state of the host device and
transmitting the program and the stream output notification in
format ion.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission of the program
and the stream output notification information comprises
recognizing a state of the host device and transmitting the program
and the stream output notification information via unicast
transmission or multicast transmission.
12. An apparatus for recording content, the apparatus comprising: a
user interface unit which receives an input user command; a
recording module unit which records the content; and a register
module unit which receives a request for recording a program
through the user interface unit, registers program information of
the program in a server, and records through the recording module
upon recognition of a stream output notification signal from the
server.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a data
communication unit which exchanges a transport stream generated by
the register module unit with the server through a predetermined
data broadcasting channel.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stream output
notification signal includes output frequency band information and
program information of a stream.
15. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a
program for executing a method of recording broadcast data, the
method comprising: receiving a request for recording a program;
registering program information of the program in a content server;
and recording the program upon detection of stream output
notification information of the program from the content
server.
16. The method of claim 1, in which the program is recorded based
on an actual output time of content transmitted from the content
server.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2007-0089079, filed on Sep. 3, 2007, in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present
invention relate to a Video On Demand (VOD) system, and more
particularly, to recording broadcast data and providing content, in
which the content is recorded based on a time at which the content
is actually transmitted between a server and a host device.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In general, data broadcasting is a service for providing not
only an existing broadcasting program but also information
associated with the broadcasting program, life information,
Internet connection, electronic commercial trade, interactive
entertainment, and the like using a broadcasting network such as
terrestrial waves, satellites, or cables. At present, there are
international data broadcasting standards such as an Open Cable
Application Platform (OCAP), an Advanced Common Application
Platform (ACAP), and a Multimedia Home Platform (MHP). Standards
for OCAP, OCAP 1.0 Profile OC-SP-OCAP1.0-I16-050803, which will
hereinafter be referred to as OCAP I16, and
OC-SP-OCAP-DVR-I02-050524, which will hereinafter be referred to as
OCAP I02, provide and support an Application Program Interface
(API) for storing recorded data in a specific storage area.
[0006] Broadcast data is recorded using a Personal Video Recorder
(PVR) system or a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) system.
[0007] Typically, in the DVR system, when a server transmits an
Electronic Program Guide (EPG) or a program list regarding programs
to be broadcasted, a host device applies for or reserves desired
content based on the program list. The host device starts recording
at a scheduled point in time, regardless of content that is
actually transmitted from the server at that point in time.
[0008] As a result, in a related art reserved recording method, if
a program broadcasting schedule is changed and a scheduled
recording start time changes to a different start time, desired
broadcasting cannot be recorded because it has been reserved based
on time information. In particular, when a user desires to record a
series, the user has to re-input recording data one by one if a
broadcasting schedule of the series is changed.
[0009] Moreover, in the related art reserved recording method, only
content registered in the server can be subject to reserved
recording and the host device controls the recording process. As a
result, the server has difficulty in recognizing user's information
in detail.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention overcome the
above disadvantages and other disadvantages not described above.
Also, the present invention is not required to overcome the
disadvantages described above, and an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention may not overcome any of the problems described
above.
[0011] The present invention provides a method and apparatus for
recording broadcast data and providing content in which the content
is reserved-recorded at a time at which the content is actually
transmitted by synchronizing a point of time at which a stream is
output from a content server with a recording start time of a host
device.
[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of recording broadcast data. The method includes
receiving a request for recording a particular program, registering
program information of the requested program in a content server,
and performing recording of the program upon detection of stream
output notification information for the registered program from the
content server.
[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a method of providing content by a server. The method
includes receiving a request for recording a particular program
from a host device, registering program information of the
requested program and identification (ID) information of the host
device, and transmitting the program and stream output notification
information for the program to the host device if it is confirmed
that the requested program is secured, irrespective of a recording
time that is set in the host device.
[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an apparatus for recording content. The apparatus
includes a user interface unit receiving an input user command, a
recording module unit performing recording of the content, and a
register module unit receiving a request for recording a particular
program through the user interface unit, registering program
information of the requested program in a server, and performing
recording through the recording module upon recognition of a stream
output notification signal from the server.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The above and other aspects of the present invention will
become more apparent by describing in detail an exemplary
embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings in
which:
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a Video On Demand (VOD)
system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a host device
illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an overall conceptual diagram for implementing a
method of recording broadcast data and providing content by a
server to a host device according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0019] FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts illustrating in detail a
method of recording broadcast data and providing content by a
server to a host device according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention will be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. It should be noted that like reference
numerals refer to like elements illustrated in one or more of the
drawings. In the following description of the present invention,
detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations
incorporated herein will be omitted for conciseness and
clarity.
[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a Video On Demand (VOD)
system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, the VOD system includes a content
server 110 and a host device 120.
[0023] The content server 110 and the host device 120 are connected
by wired or wireless cables that allow 2-way communication.
[0024] The content server 110 and the host device 120 perform 2-way
communication over an access network such as an In-Band (IB) type
network, a Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications
(DOCSIS) Set-top box Gateway (DSG) type network, a DOCSIS type, or
an Out of Band (OOB) type network. For example, the content server
110 transmits service information (SI) such as an Electronic
Program Guide (EPG), weather, sports, channel information, program
information, program names, and broadcasting times to the host
device 120 through an OOB channel. The content server 110 provides
a video signal compressed by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-2
and an MPEG audio signal including an audio signal compressed by
AC-3 to the host device 120 through an IB channel.
[0025] The content server 110 receives a request for a selected VOD
service from the host device 120, registers program information of
the requested VOD service and identification (ID) information of
the host device 120, and then transmits the registered program and
stream output notification information to the host device 120. The
content server 110 recognizes the state of the host device 120 that
reserves recording and then transmits a stream via unicast or
multicast methods.
[0026] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
content server 110 may include a content management system 111, a
stream output system 112, and a content providing system 113. The
content providing system 113 provides content to the stream output
system 112 and notifies the content management system 111 of a time
at which content is provided. The content management system 111 is
notified of the time at which content is provided by the content
providing system 113, controls the stream output system 112, and
transmits a VOD service list, e.g., including released films or
re-transmitted programs, to the host device 120 in the form of
Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based metadata, section data of an
SI, or a file. The stream output system 112 provides a VOD service
to the host device 120 according to an output control signal of the
content management system 111.
[0027] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
the content management system 111, the stream output system 112,
and the content providing system 113 may be independently provided
without being included in the content server 110.
[0028] The host device 120 receives a selection of a VOD service
from a user, registers the selected VOD service in the content
server 110, and records a corresponding program upon detection of
stream output notification information regarding the registered VOD
service from the content server 110.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the host device 120
illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, the host device 120 includes a user
interface unit 210, a data communication unit 220, a register
module unit 230, a storage unit 240, a recording module unit 250,
and a display unit 260.
[0031] The user interface unit 210 receives an input user
command.
[0032] The recording module unit 250 performs recording of a
program according to a recording control command. In an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, the recording module unit 250
includes a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) module and a host recording
system.
[0033] The register module unit 230 receives a request for
recording the program through the user interface unit 210,
registers program information of the requested program in the
content server 110, and applies the recording control command to
the recording module unit 250 upon recognition of a stream output
notification signal from the content server 110.
[0034] The storage unit 240 stores program data recorded in the
recording module unit 250 via the register module unit 230.
[0035] The display unit 260 displays various commands and messages
controlled by the recording module unit 250.
[0036] The data communication unit 220 performs 2-way communication
by exchanging the request for the selected VOD service and
corresponding program data with the content server 110.
[0037] The 2-way communication may employ a channel standard such
as In-Band (IB), Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications
(DOCSIS) Set-top box Gateway (DSG), DOCSIS, or Out of Band
(OOB).
[0038] FIG. 3 is an overall conceptual diagram for implementing a
method of recording broadcast data and providing content by a
content server to a host device according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 3, the overall concept of the exemplary
embodiments of the present invention can be divided into the
following processes. A DVR module 340 and a host recording system
350 are included in the recording module unit 250 illustrated in
FIG. 2.
[0040] An application/user 320 of a host device transmits a request
for recording a desired program to a register module 330 through a
Java Application Program Interface (API). The register module 330
of the host device requests a specific program at the request of
the user/application 320. The register module 330 may be provided
to an application as a Java interface or provided as a native
code.
[0041] The register module 330 of the host device registers program
information of the requested program in a content server 310 using
2-way communication.
[0042] The content server 310 manages the registered program
information and information of the host device and sends stream
output notification information to the register module 330 when a
stream including the program is output.
[0043] The register module 330 of the host device recognizes the
stream output notification information and gives a recording
command to the DVR module 340. Thus, the DVR module 340 of the host
device commands the host recording system 350 to record the
program.
[0044] FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts illustrating in detail a
method of recording broadcast data and providing content by the
content server 110 to the host device 120 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0045] In operation 412, the content server 110 transmits a program
service list and a DVR application through SI or 2-way
communication.
[0046] In operation 414, the host device 120 stores the program
service list received through 2-way communication. In another
exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the host device 120
may have already stored the program service list received through
the SI.
[0047] In operation 416, the host device 120 provides the program
service list to a user using a user interface. The user interface
may be a native application, or a data broadcasting application
received from the content server 110.
[0048] In operation 418, the host device 120 checks if a request
for recording a program is received from the user through the user
interface.
[0049] If so, the host device 120 causes the user to select a
desired program in operation 422.
[0050] The host device 120 registers program information about the
program selected by the user in a register module in operation
424.
[0051] The host device 120 transmits the information about the
selected program and ID information of the host device 120 to the
content server 110 through the register module in operation
426.
[0052] In operation 428, the content server 110 registers the
program information and the ID information of the host device 120,
which are received from the host device 120. The content server 110
may perform a predetermined authentication process using the ID
information of the host device 120.
[0053] In operation 432, the content server 110 generates and
manages a trigger for outputting a stream corresponding to the
requested program. The trigger corresponds to stream output
notification information.
[0054] In operation 434, the content server 110 searches in a
database for the program requested by the host device 120.
[0055] In operation 436, the content server 110 checks if the
program requested by the host device 120 is secured, and if not,
the content server 110 continues searching the database. If the
requested program is secured, the content server 110 generates and
manages a trigger in order to transmit the program to the host
device 120 immediately after content corresponding to the program
is secured.
[0056] In operation 438, the content server 110 transmits a request
for state check information of the host device 120 to the host
device 120 if the requested program is secured.
[0057] The host device 120 generates state information, e.g.,
including existence of a tuner, a standby operation, or a normal
operation, in operation 442 and transmits the state information to
the content server 110 in operation 444.
[0058] In operation 446, the content server 110 analyzes the state
information of the host device 120 in order to check if the host
device 120 is in a transmission allowable state.
[0059] If the content server 110 determines that the host device
120 is in the transmission allowable state, the content server 110
transmits a stream output notification signal for the program to
the host device 120 using a previously generated trigger in
operation 448. The stream output notification signal includes
output frequency band information and program information of the
stream. Thus, the content server 110 transmits the stream output
notification signal for the program to the host device 120
regardless of a recording time that is set in the host device
120.
[0060] In operation 452, the host device 120 analyzes the stream
output notification signal in order to determine the point of time
at which the content server 110 outputs a stream corresponding to
the program. In another exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the host device 120 may display a stream output
notification message on a screen upon detection of the stream
output notification information received from the content server
110.
[0061] In operation 454, the content server 110 transmits the
stream corresponding to the program immediately after transmission
of the stream output notification signal.
[0062] In operation 456, the host device 120 starts recording the
received stream corresponding to the program in synchronization
with the point of time at which the stream is output.
[0063] Consequently, in the exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, the host device 120 remotely registers a desired program
to be reserved-recorded in the content server 110 and the content
server 110 may perform triggering of the recording.
[0064] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
when the user performs reserved-recording using an EPG, the host
device 120 does not have to proceed with recording if an actual
broadcasting time for a desired program is changed for some reason.
Instead, the host device 120 proceeds with recording when a stream
output notification signal is transmitted from the content server
110, thereby smoothly synchronizing a recording start time with the
output time of a stream output notification signal.
[0065] As described above, according to the exemplary embodiments
of the present invention, by synchronizing a point of time at which
a stream is output from the server with a recording start time in
the host device, content can be recorded based on an actual output
time of the content transmitted from the server, irrespective of a
scheduled recording start time set in the host device. Moreover,
the server can easily recognize users' demands through registration
of content that are not contained in a database of the server and
create new business models using various price plans such as
pre-payment. Furthermore, the host device can easily recognize a
change in a scheduled recording time for desired content and thus
accurately record the desired content. The exemplary embodiments of
the present invention can be used in data broadcasting standards
such as Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP), Advanced Common
Application Platform (ACAP), and Multimedia Home Platform
(MHP).
[0066] The present invention can be embodied as a computer-readable
code on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable
recording medium is any data storage device that can store data
which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of
computer-readable recording media include read-only memory (ROM),
random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks,
and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording
medium can also be distributed over a network of coupled computer
systems so that the computer-readable code is stored and executed
in a decentralized fashion.
[0067] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to an exemplary embodiment thereof, it
will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that
various changes in form and detail may be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as
defined by the following claims.
* * * * *